Bruins Notebook: Jakub Zboril leaning on experience to get back in lineup

Jakub Zboril received what any aspiring NHLer would want at the start of last season — a spot in the lineup that was more or less guaranteed.

The Bruins had reached a crossroads with two of their blueline stalwarts. Former captain Zdeno Chara moved on rather than take a reduced role and Torey Krug‘s dynamic play priced him out of the B’s salary structure.

Meanwhile, it was getting to be time for the B’s to find out if they had legitimate big-leaguers in two of their defenseman chosen in the much analyzed and criticized 2015 draft, Zboril (13th overall) and Jeremy Lauzon (52nd overall). So the organization took the plunge.

At times, Zboril looked like he was in over his head in the deep end. Not all the time, mind you. He showed a strong first-pass ability along with the occasional offensive zone spark that made him the highly rated prospect he was at the time of his draft. There were times early in the season, in fact, when it appeared he’d be the one snagged by the Seattle Kraken expansion draft instead of Lauzon.

But it’s not always easy learning on the fly with a team trying desperately to remain among the elites. The inevitable rookie mistakes can become magnified and Zboril himself conceded it weighed on him. His slow learning curve was such the B’s felt the need to acquire left shot D-man Mike Reilly at the deadline.

With Reilly re-upped and Derek Forbort brought into the mix, the left-shooting Zboril looks to be one of two reserve defensemen on the roster with veteran John Moore to start this season. Coach Bruce Cassidy hasn’t ruled him out of the opening night lineup but it would be a surprise at this point if he was in uniform on Oct. 16 against Dallas.

Still, the coach likes what he’s seen from Zboril in camp.

“I like his professionalism, his approach,” said Cassidy on Monday. “It looks like he’s conditioned better. He’s practicing better. Who knows how that will translate once he gets in. He’ll get in. There’s always going to be injuries. That’s just the way it works out. And we’ll see how he does. He’s a guy who can play (on the right side), so we’re still keeping an eye on (Connor Clifton), Johnny and Zboril for that last spot. We feel five are set. Cliffy being a right stick, he has the advantage and hasn’t done anything to hurt himself, either. But last year it was the situation with him and Lauzon that they were going to get an opportunity. We felt like they deserved it. We wanted to see where they were at.

“They had some good moments and they had moments where it looked like it was new to them. All in all, it should benefit (Zboril) for this year for when he’s ready to go. Now it’s a situation for like a lot of guys. He’s got to push his way in and stay in. Cliffy’s gone through this, (Matt Grzelcyk) has gone through this. Kevan Miller. Now that’s where he’s at. So he’s got to keep himself ready to go and, when he gets his chance, he makes it so we can’t take him out again. This is a guy we like. We’ve just got some guys ahead of him.”

While Zboril may be on the outside looking in on the opening night defense six-pack, he said he’s got a comfort level now that he did not have last year as a rookie.

“It’s so much higher,” said Zboril, who was in the B’s lineup Monday in Philadelphia. “I feel like that one year showed me so much. Coming in here this year, I feel like I’m at that level, that I can play. I’m not really on the ice being scared of making a mistake. I feel like I’m a player who can play this game and if I do make a mistake, I’ll just recover back and make a better decision next time.”

Zboril was also able to gain valuable experience in what’s expected of him within the Bruins’ team culture, especially with Miller — now retired because of ongoing knee issues — as his defensive partner.

“It can’t be only some days. You have to show up every day, every single practice, for games. You have to be there, be a good pro and lead by example,” said Zboril, who was also slowed by injury late in the season. “I was really close to (Miller) last season. We were always together in the locker room. He set a really good example. I’d get to the locker room and he was already here, doing his stuff, rehabbing his knee, putting some extra work in in the gym. It showed me how I should be.”…

Details

The B’s took a Providence-heavy lineup to Philadelphia for Monday’s final road preseason game. With the Baby B’s camp opening on Monday, there will be a large group of cuts before the team reconvenes for Tuesday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena.

The B’s still have a week to get down to the 23-man roster limit. …

Forward Zach Senyshyn cleared waivers and was assigned to Providence. Senyshyn, the 15th overall pick in the 2015 draft, appears to have run out of non-emergency chances to make his mark at the NHL level, at least for the B’s.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3uHzwr5